Martha Stewart is one of a kind. She completely changed the concept of a home-chef/cook and hostess/entertainer. She was never a trained chef nor did she have any kind of education in public relations or business, but she figured it out as she went along, running a successful catering business, turning that into successful cookbooks and TV programming, then building her brand into Martha Stewart Omnimedia (which flew too close to the sun). Others have tried to follow in her path, to mixed results, but Martha was really the first lifestyle brand. She doesn’t think much of the people who have tried to copy her, nor does she think much of the people who have been inspired by her. Martha’s attitude has always been: I’m still here, so why do you need a copycat? Well, I’ve been bracing myself for months to hear Martha’s thoughts on the Duchess of Sussex’s entrance into the lifestyle/cooking arena. Martha sort of pulled a Mariah. Instead of “I don’t know her,” we’re getting “Has it started?”
Martha Stewart hasn’t watched Meghan Markle’s Netflix show. While promoting her upcoming NBC culinary competition series, Yes, Chef!, on Access Hollywood, Stewart was questioned about With Love, Meghan, Markle’s new Netflix show that launched on March 4 to cruel reviews and much mockery. Stewart’s response: “Has it started?”
Informed that, yes, it was indeed available to view, Stewart replied that she was “curious” and willing to give it a try. “I’ll watch an episode and see how she does,” she added.
Stewart’s co-host on the new show, celebrity chef and World Central Kitchen founder José Andrés, a friend of Meghan’s, was more generous in his assessment of Meghan, saying: “I love Meghan, that she puts herself out there.”
Andrés also clapped back at Tina Brown and Justine Bateman’s suggestion that Meghan and Harry came across as “disaster tourists” in the wake of the California wildfires, saying that she was “not trying to take attention or anything to herself, on the contrary.” He added, “It was great that she was there, like many others, front and center, one more Angeleno next to people that needed hope and empathy.”
I’m actually going to give Martha the benefit of the doubt here. Sure, it’s more than possible that her intention was to be sort of shady and “her?” But it’s also possible that she just didn’t know that WLM was released last month. The thing about the British tabloids and the Daily Beast is that they are singularly obsessed with every single thing Meghan does and says and they can’t even comprehend that other people aren’t equally obsessed. Meghan has many loyal fans who follow her and support her work, but she also has casual fans, people who just check in what she’s doing every so often. I’m just saying, it doesn’t seem that weird to me that someone who is not chronically online (like Martha) or a habitual consumer of royalist hate-media wouldn’t have known that WLM was released in March. That being said, I mostly think Martha was being shady!
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- NEW YORK, NY – MAY 29: Martha Stewart at the Sesame Workshop 2024 Benefit Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on May 29, 2024 in New York City. Copyright: xRWx,Image: 877522332, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/RW/Avalon
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- 9/6/24, New York, New York, United States Martha Stewart during Libertine Spring 2025 collection, held during NYFW at the Elizabeth Street Gallery in New York City, Friday September 6th, 2024.,Image: 905451476, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Jennifer Graylock-Graylock.com, Model Release: no, Credit line: Jennifer Graylock-Graylock.com/Avalon
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- 9/6/24, New York, New York, United States Martha Stewart during Libertine Spring 2025 collection, held during NYFW at the Elizabeth Street Gallery in New York City, Friday September 6th, 2024.,Image: 905451506, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Jennifer Graylock-Graylock.com, Model Release: no, Credit line: Jennifer Graylock-Graylock.com / Avalon
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- NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 29: Martha Stewart at the 2024 WWD Honors at Cipriani South Street in New York City on October 29, 2024. Copyright: xMediaPunchx,Image: 928224901, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/MediaPunch/Avalon
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- NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 29: Martha Stewart at the 2024 WWD Honors at Cipriani South Street in New York City on October 29, 2024. Copyright: xMediaPunchx,Image: 928274725, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/mpi099/Avalon
It was interesting to me that this came out at the same time as Gwyneth’s “you will not pull me into your girl drama story” interview because I feel like for all her shade, Martha truly doesn’t want to be in that story either. She probably just doesn’t realize it yet because she probably hasn’t paid attention and has no clue.
I need to watch this again. Martha asked “has it started yet” of which the interviewer said no. This access Hollywood interview took place in Feburary. With Love Meghan has not aired. Which is why Martha asked. The writer purposely left that out or did not research
Well that definitely would put an interesting spin on the reporting, but even if it’s current and she was being shady who cares?
Why do people act like Meghan has to have 100% approval? It’s okay for people not to want to watch her show, not be interested in what she’s doing, not want to buy her products. Everyone doesn’t have to be in love with her. She has her fans, her fans are loyal, she seems to be happy with her market. It’s cool.
Maybe because the royals are obsessed with popularity ratings because that’s how they justify their existence they think that everyone else has to be loved by the vast majority of the population, but for celebrities that really isn’t true.
The media seems to be obsessed with the fact that everyone doesn’t hate her the way that they do, and just wants everyone they talk to confirm that she’s a horrible monster they think about all the time and hate to justify their unhinged obsession over her.
yeah, is it wrong if I dont care if she’s being shady? She’s Martha. Being shady is part of her personality. And asking if its out yet isnt even all that shady even if she 100% knew it had been released. She also said she would give the first episode a try.
And I think the media puts too much…..importance, maybe…..on some of these comments. Like @Dee2 said not everyone is going to love Meghan but also, not everyone is paying attention to her. That’s not a bad thing – she’s just not on everyone’s radars. The british press is so obsessed with her that they assume everyone else is as well.
Yeah, I’m not mad? I’m now confused about when the interview even took place, lol. But either way, and? I do think WLM and Asever is sparking a renewed interest, one that never went away but is getting heightened, in the lifestyle space. And that benefits anyone in that space. Just bc I like Meghan’s stuff doesn’t mean I’m not still into Martha’s. In fact, I’m looking at all kinds of recipes and cute ideas more than I did before, whether it’s Meghan’s or Martha’s or whoever’s. Martha is a businesswoman and she get’s that.
Excellent point, right here. No shade!
Exactly! It’s the members of the BM who look like fools for asking EVERYONE about Meghan even when she has nothing to do with anything they’re reporting on, because they’re obsessed and she gets clicks. Martha could have been purposely shady (not like that would be out of character for her!) but WLM also just might not have been on her radar. But the derangers will twist anything if they think it will somehow make M “look bad.” (Which this doesn’t even do, IMO, because who cares what Martha thinks about anything?)
Martha is Martha, she commented on Meghan’s shower earlier wish her all the best, so she is full of BS, if she did asked, is it started.
Martha reminds me of Joan Rivers, who was shocked that no one sent her condolences on her husband’s death, and could not understand, why Elizabeth Taylor got so much attention for a common cold.
Of course it was shade, Martha is shady. This woman still shades her former friend Ina Garten, so why not shade WLM? Petty.
The media likes to start girl fights and attempt to get “shady quotes”.
^ this ^
Martha doesn’t want to be replaced.
Martha is old school- there’s only room for one woman at the top. So yeah anyone else is competition.
Yeah, Martha’s had her time in the spotlight, she’ll forever be known as a trailblazer, and should be ready to move on and cede some attention to other people by now. I cannot remember a time I was alive and didn’t know who Martha was— she’s been all. over. for freaking decades.
Also, she’s almost 85 years old…isn’t she exhausted?
Martha is who she is. She could be different, encouraging, warm and welcoming. And she isn’t
That being said .. I’’ll be trying Meghan’s recipes – pretty much a never for Martha as they aren’t easy.
She’s never been a warm person. I know her type. She’s ambitious and focused in herself. I know some Polish women like her.
I recalled this interview and will need to watch it again. Martha stated “has it aired yet” The access Hollywood host said “no”. Martha then said she will have to see it. This interview was done in February. Megan’s “With Love Meghan” had not aired aa of yet due to the push back to March. The writer purposely left it out or did no research.
Interesting 🤨
I commented before seeing this. Good to know this bit of information. It’s so difficult to trust reporting these days. 😞
Journalists/Reporters don’t seem dedicated to putting well researched and cross checked, complete or factual information out these days. Clickbait, first to report information is what we get now in their pursuit of maximum engagement 😔.
Yes, fodder for the RF lunatics. Her response now makes sense. It hadn’t aired yet.
This makes sense because she did make the one pot pasta in the not so distant past. And she did say something to the effect of making the pasta that everyone was talking about.
Martha is usually direct. If she doesn’t like a topic/thing or is not interested in a topic/thing she will straight up say so. I think 🤔 she’s being her usual honest/blunt self and is unaware that WLM has already come out. I’m surprised she even heard about Meghan’s show. I wonder if she’s even an avid tv watcher. There’s so much content for Americans to consume now it’s so hard to keep up.
Many people in the public seem to think that everyone in ‘Hollywood’ knows everyone else there and also know what they are up to whereas not everyone in entertainment even lives full time in California much less LA, moreso Beverly Hills.
People move in different circles in the entertainment business and occasionally cross paths at some events. Despite the incessant media attention on Meghan, she keeps a very low profile in entertainment social circles. Martha probably does too and maybe spends more time in Connecticut than in California.
Mmm i’m not sure how to interpret this as i have seen her take on Meghan’s one pot spaggetti, she was either being tongue in cheek
That was a little TIC bc Martha has an old video with a very similar recipe.
Thanks that makes sense .
Actually MS did not take on Meghan’s recipe but used all the attention it got to repost her own version, which was done earlier. Kind of a tribute to a tribute. As for the has it started comment, I think Martga was just pushing the questioner aside as in, “why are you asking me?”
This is a non-story to me. According to the British press (I include the Daily Beast in this) Meghan is supposed to be irrelevant but they keep asking everybody about her.
@AmyBee, I said something similar above, but you said it way funnier 😭
I’m confused. When was this interview taped and aired? Was it prior to WLM being aired? Remember, it was postponed due to the LA fires. When is Martha’s show with Jose airing? I should think the timeline is key here.
At this point in Stewart’s life, let her be shady. Several generations have evolved since she created her empire. Only the gutter press are hunting down folks to throw shade. Pretty sure Meghan has no clue re that conversation and probably would not care if she knew. Meghan has her targeted audience and is busy trying to get her empire going.
MS doesn’t need to act as if she invented this niche and it belongs to her. There were radio lifestyle gurus before TV came along. And likely local influencers in print media before radio. The one who actually knows Meghan is the person to listen to. Like others who actually know her and have no axe to grind, Andrew is praising her.
(Andres) Stupid autocorrect.
Martha DGAF about anything that’s not Martha related. I don’t think she cares enough about Meghan to be shady tbh.
Fair point!
Well look, for me, its: once a fraud, always a fraud. Until proven otherwise. She gets no benefit of doubt from me. meartha has been PROVEN to be a dishonest, self-serving, avaricious woman so however her subtext presents itself, thats how I will read it.
Of course she is being shady, with that: “has it started.” She’s prolly jealous and bitter that netflix put so much energy behind M’s show and none behind hers. You’d be forgiven if you forgot that meartha had a post-mortem-like show that aired just before M’s and it dropped like a dud.
Why are people falsely reporting on this? She was asked and it wasn’t out yet. Good lord.
What’s interesting is she said that in front of Jose Andres who is friends with the Sussexes and who will appear on season 2 of With Love, Meghan. Meghan confirmed it during her Time100 appearance! I’m sure Jose had to sign all sorts of NDAs and I’m not sure if this moment with Martha was filmed before or after Meghan disclosed Jose would appear on her show.
As much as Martha operates in her own lane, I find it hard to believe she doesn’t keep tabs on the competition. Edited: apparently this was filmed before Meghan’s show came out! Curious to know if she has since watched some of it!
I blame Martha for everything being prison gray for decades now. And I used to abhor her. I now like her well enough, but she’s a thirsty souse so her shade is sus.
This is definitely shading Meghan. But this is from a woman who would shade the Pope (may he rest in peace). Martha is the shadiest of the shady. The Daily Fail wishes they could shade as well. I doubt Meghan cares 2 cents. Unless your Snoop Dog she is gonna shade
I think Martha was being nice, cause, she was way way way more flip and dismissive of gwyneth p. You could feel the “we are not in the same category” off the page. I think she knew what goop was and did not like it.
Martha is not a nice person, few perfectionists are. But, anyone who has watched her knows, the lady can be very brittle at times and does not suffer fools kindly. That doesn’t mean she’s incapable of loosening up, look at her friendship with Snoop (and I swear she’s got something going on with the Miracle Grow guy in the TV commercials).
But, I didn’t take her comment to be negative just a busy person yet unaware of the show’s availability.
This is called “Gwyneth underlined that she would not be a pawn in the BRF and BM war on Meghan so let’s try to make Martha a pawn”. Have you guys met Martha? This isn’t going to go well
But was Martha Stewart really the first? Wasn’t there a really stylish Black lady who did cooking/lifestyle shows on television ages ago, which were well received? I think Meghan referred to her during one of her interviews as well? Sorry, can’t remember her name, but I’ll check.